[FEBRUARY 2022 ]
B RO KE R’S B E ST BY RANDY WOODS
Emerald Queen Casino Paddlewheeler Northwest Yachtnet invites you aboard a truly unique new listing—the classic 300-foot-long paddlewheeler that once housed the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma.
For the Broker’s Best section, we pride ourselves for covering a wide variety of used sail and powerboats available in the Pacific Northwest. This month, however, may be one of the first times we have featured one that is nearly 300 feet long, has more than 70,000 square feet of space on four decks, weighs 400 tons, and is big enough to comfortably accommodate 2,000 guests. Oh, and it’s also powered by a giant wooden stern wheel instead of a propeller. Behold the Emerald Queen, the former floating gambling palace that had been moored at the Blair Waterway on the Tacoma waterfront for the last 25 years as part of the Emerald Queen Casino, owned by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. Built in 1995 by Louisiana-based Quality Shipyard and Kehl River Boats at a cost of $15 million, the steel Emerald Queen was designed to look like the classic paddlewheel riverboats that used to ply the waters of the Mississippi River in the 19th century. Balustraded exterior walkways and lush interior amenities evoke the buildings of the French Quarter in New Orleans. The grande dame made her way from Houma, Louisiana, to Tacoma in 1997, not under her own power but towed on a barge by the 38
Northwest tugboat Drew Foss, on a month-long journey south across the Gulf of Mexico, through the Panama Canal, and up the West Coast to Puget Sound. But after its gamble paid off with many years in the casino business, the Puyallup Tribe knew when to hold ‘em, knew when to fold ‘em and retired the vessel as a casino in 2004. The ship is now moored next to Tacoma’s “Firecracker Alley” and is up for sale by the Tribe. The boat’s total interior space measures more than 70,000 square feet (23,400 square feet for the casino; 25,320 square feet for the lounge) and can be accessed by three gangways to the second deck and one gangway to the main deck. The boat is equipped with two elevators: one 3,500-pound-capacity passenger elevator forward and a 10,000-pound-capacity freight elevator aft. The most striking interior feature, however, is the opulent forward grand staircase, which connects three decks inside an open atrium lit by a large hanging chandelier. The boat’s main deck features a covered walk around the perimeter, accessed by two forward gangways. Inside is the former gambling area, though all the gaming machines and tables have been removed. There are,
